#CollierNecklaces | Valentina Expressions

What People Do In The Streets

Going out the door is a question mark every day. One never knows what will happen or what one will witness. There are pleasant or unpleasant encounters. One can discover new restaurants or stores. Occasionally, one gets compliments from excited strangers. Admiring street performers is another possibility. One can walk at leisure, enjoying spending time relaxing. Others rush to get somewhere without noticing their surroundings and lose some of the street excitement.

A few years ago, I created an extravagant and original piece of knitwear. It was unlike anything I had made before. I needed to place it in my Etsy store. Still, I wanted to collect some reactions from people in the street first. This was a marketing strategy without paying for astronomical strategists’ fees.

I wore it over a black top and went out strolling in one of the upscale towns in my area. I strolled up and down the street. I looked at store windows. I sat at a cafe to pause and show off the piece I was wearing. Then I continued strolling up and down. I received a few curious comments, but nothing told me I was wearing a hit piece. I was ready to leave, almost disappointed that people didn’t react as I expected.

One woman changed my disappointment in a heartbeat. She saw me from across the street. She ran to me to ask where I bought the piece I was wearing. I told her I made it, and that was the only piece I had. Given the knowledge she couldn’t buy it anywhere else, she insisted on selling it to her directly from my body. I acted surprised, but didn’t let her insist too much. We went to sit in a cafe, made the transition and became friends. I never expected to sell it in that manner. I was only looking for strangers’ reactions as a thermometer for my next move.

From that moment on, I created one-of-a-kind pieces, which I called colliers. A collier is a term in jewellery making. It indicates a large necklace piece which covers a major part of the neckline and chest. My pieces are made with yarn and beads, and they fit the description of colliers. Their role is to embellish the neckline and keep the neck warm.
(open the picture to view it larger)

Streets are a theatre for humans to express and act out their lives. Anything can happen, just like in a scene on stage. Ciao,
Valentina
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion consultant, color analyst/therapist, author of 6 published books, a storyteller, and a longtime blogger. She was recently certified as a “Color Analyst.” Her books offer non-fictional, practical ideas. These ideas can be applied in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Collier Art | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

What is a Collier? It is an old French word that usually refers to a piece of bulky and imposing jewelry necklace.
Not too long ago, a collier was worn together with earrings, a bracelet, and a ring all in the same style and colors, with the same precious stones. This coordinated ensemble was called a Parure.
Women wearing a parure wanted to show off the family wealth, their knowledge of fashion and appear well put together. I am sure the Queen of England has many parures in her secured vaults.
The social revolution of the ’60s pushed away many strict dressing rules, the matchy-matchy jewelry was one of those rules and in fact, today matching everything to the letter is considered a bit of a kitschy custom.

Seven years ago, I created my own line of custom-made colliers with colorful yarn. Just as always happens, I make something for me and wear it, then people want it. I remember a funny episode that happened to me in the street. A woman spotted me because I was wearing a very extravagant collier, she followed me to a cafe’.
I noticed her in the street following me and noticed her in the cafe’ staring at me, but I really didn’t want to make any fuss, until she asked permission to sit with me. She introduced herself and asked me at once where I had bought that piece of decoration hanging from my neck that really struck her fancy. To make a long story short, she bought it literally from my neck and left my outfit undecorated. In my purse, I carry the square device to take credit card payments, just in case I meet impulsive buyers like her and the purchase was made. She became my best client.

In my creations with yarn, fabrics, beads, glass and various embellishments my neckwarmers look like jeweled colliers and have two functions: keep the neck warm and embellish the clothes.
It is a nice alternative to a scarf, a fun and colorful way to play with accessories.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Every year I produce fun pieces, they don’t’ stay in y stock for very long. Now, I present my colliers at trade fairs and various exhibitions. Link to Etsy if you want to see what I do. Ciao,
Valentina
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

Valentina Cirasola is a trained fashion-interior designer and author, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. She is passionate about colors and encourages her clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. She is the forthcoming author of a book on fashion subject: ©So Chic, So Stylish, due to be published March 2020. Get a copy of her books here: Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w